Microbial Risk Assessment + HACCP

Question 1

What is “risk?”

Answer 1

function of:

1. probability/likelihood of adverse health effect
2. severity of consequences due to hazard

Question 2

3 parts of risk analysis:

Answer 2

1. assessment
2. communication
3. management

Question 3

The ___ was established in 1963 by WHO. What it its purpose?

Answer 3

Codex Alimentarius

to develop international food standards to protect consumer health + fair training practices

Question 4

Food safety is managed in Canada by _____

Answer 4

Health Canada

Question 5

How is microbial risk assessment different from chemical risk assessment?

Answer 5

microbial hazard:

1. SINGLE EXPOSURE can be hazardous
2. consider CHANGES IN CONCENTRATION as microbes grow/die throughout chain

Question 6

4 steps of microbial risk assessment:

Answer 6

1. Identify hazard (collect info)
2. exposure assessment (probability/concentraton consumed
3. hazard characterization (adverse health outcomes)
4. risk characterization (combine 2 &3 to estimate risk)

Question 7

describe the step of hazard identification in microbial risk assessment:

Answer 7

collect info about pathogen, food process, risk factors, disease

Question 8

describe the step of exposure assessment in microbial risk assessment:

Answer 8

determine probability of consuming pathogen (& # cells consumed)

Question 9

describe the step of hazard characterization in microbial risk assessment:

Answer 9

describe nature + extent of adverse health effects (virulence, susceptibility)

Question 10

Microbial risk assessment can be ____ or _____. How do these differ?

Answer 10

qualitative: express risk as grade/category/score
quantitative: more detailed (mathematical models, comp. simulations, etc) - for more complex analyses

Question 11

What is risk communication, and what is the goal? (2)

Answer 11

exchange info/opinions about risk -> risk assessors, managers, regulators, consumers, etc

goal: 1. increase understanding of importance of managing food safety/hazards; 2. educate consumers

Question 12

How does the 2008 listeria outbreak in Canada illustrate the challenges of risk communication?

Answer 12

uncertainty about the source - how to inform public?
PHAC did not address publicly until lab confirmed (they should inform public right away so consumers could make informed decisions)

Question 13

What is the ALOP?

Answer 13

Acceptable level of protection: public health goal for that food (# cases/yr, or probability of illness per serving)

Question 14

Can ALOP be reduced to zero?

Answer 14

no (always some risk present, need to be an achievable level for industry)

Question 15

The 2 systems for risk management in food systems:

Answer 15

1. Good hygienic practices (GHPs)

2. hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP)

Question 16

What are GHPs?

Answer 16

General guidelines (“Best practices”) for production/processing/distribution/preparation (ex: industry handbook)

Question 17

How does HACCP help address failure/deviation from GHPs?

Answer 17

Failure usually occurs at certain steps depending on the process/facility

1. help identify steps with greatest likelihood of affecting food safety (need adequate control)
2. provide extra degree of care/control to those steps

Question 18

Describe the history of HACCP

Answer 18

Developed by Pilsbury (for space flight) based on similar plans in aerospace industry -> presented to FDA (1971) -> guidance docs released in 1990s, but industry was reluctant -> adopted into Codeex Alimentarius

Question 19

How does testing of food safety systems differ now from what it originally used to be?

Answer 19

Past: based on endpoint testing (check product)

Now: check plan, safety measures in place

Question 20

What are the 4 phases of HACCP?

Answer 20

1. Preliminary activities
2. Identify hazards
3. Identify parameters/conditions/circumstances that need control
4. implement protocols/procedures to make sure controls working properly

Question 21

What are the 7 principles needed to achieve consistent control (In HACCP)?

Answer 21

1. conduct hazard analysis
2. determine critical control points
3. establish control limits
4. establish monitoring procedures
5. establish corrective actions
6. establish verification procedures
7. establish recordkeeping, documentation